It probably doesn’t need repeating, but the 2016 season has been a disappointing one for Florida State. After beginning the season ranked in the top 5 and ascending to as high as No. 2, FSU suffered its largest loss under head coach Jimbo Fisher in the ACC opener at Louisville and was essentially eliminated from the ACC race by the first of October.
Saturday night however, offers a chance for atonement and to salvage the disappointing campaign. After three straight victories, the 8-3 Seminoles will host their arch-rivals. That of course, is the Florida Gators.
Under second-year head coach Jim McElwain, Florida has made noticeable strides. The Gators may not be at Steve Spurrier or Urban Meyer era levels, but after winning 10 games last season, Florida clinched a second straight SEC East title last week with a 16-10 victory over LSU.
Aside from the usual in-state bragging rights and recruiting battles that come with the annual rivalry contest, Saturday’s game for Florida State will go along in determining how the season is remembered.
The 2016 campaign won’t end with a national championship, an ACC title or probably even a New Year’s Six bowl as many had legitimately believed prior to the season. Beating Florida however would be a testament to the coaching staff for being able to lead FSU to four straight wins to close the regular season after falling to 5-3 with a heartbreaking 37-34 loss to Clemson to conclude October.
Losing to Florida would not only tie the most losses in a season for the Seminoles under Fisher, but it would make 2016 the year FSU didn’t just fail to live up the national championship hype, but the year it gave up in-state supremacy to rival Florida.
Finding motivation Saturday shouldn’t be difficult for Florida State. Both teams are ranked in the top 15 nationally; the game is at home and in prime time.
Aside from just the tangible things, beating Florida somehow has a way of alleviating prior heartbreak from earlier in the season. In this year’s case, a 54-yard field goal by North Carolina’s Nick Weiler as time expired to snap the nation’s longest home winning streak, Jordan Leggett’s game-winning touchdown for Clemson or a 43-point embarrassment at Louisville to open ACC play would all go out the window — at least for a little while. A victory would also keep hope alive for a sixth 10-win season in seven years.
Fisher is currently 5-1 against Florida after taking over in the midst of a 6-game FSU losing streak to its rivals. Four of the five victories over the rival Gators under Fisher have come by double-digits.
Not to be forgotten leading up to Saturday is FSU’s chance to make history. With a win over Florida, the Seminoles’ senior class would be the first ever to go a combined 8-0 against both rival Miami and the Gators.
While no official championship is at stake, winning a fourth straight “state title” would serve as a nice consolation price in a season where much more went wrong than expected. It might also create some positive momentum heading into what many believe has the chance to be a promising 2017.
Mike Ferguson is the editor of The Daily Nole. Follow Mike on Twitter @MikeWFerguson
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